phantom

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So is this an example of what is known as a phantom trend, where fear can end up exacerbating the real-world impact rather than mitigating it?

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

The phantom fleet of sanctioned vessels now numbers 1,300 ships, according to TankerTrackers.com, a ship-tracking website.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

If the 300 billion figure is more phantom than real, it would mean that Venezuelan oil won’t pose nearly as much competition long-term to its closest competitor: Canadian heavy oil.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

But if there were any chance of changing my mind and taking the plunge, watching “Welcome to Derry” has permanently exorcised any phantom longings.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2025

Suddenly, seven million children-—children who had existed only as phantom exemptions on the previous year’s 1040 forms—vanished, representing about one in ten of all dependent children in the United States.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt